How To Choose The Best Roofing Shingles For Your Home

Putting on a new roof can be very stressful when faced with so many options. Whether you are re-roofing your existing home or building a new home from the ground up, choosing the right roof is critical to the end result. This article will explain a few simple ways to selecting the right roof for your home.

What Type Of Shingles Are There?

First, the most popular type of shingle is the asphalt shingle. The asphalt shingle is by far the most common and there are many styles and colors to choose from. If you are living in the midwest, the asphalt shingle provides great protection against the elements and complements the look of the typical midwestern home quite nicely.

Metal, wood and slate roofs are also options, depending on the look you are are trying to achieve. They do each have their pro’s and cons. Metal roofs provide about the best protection against the wind, while real wood and slate shingles create a multidimensional look that is very upscale. The downfall of each of these shingles is they can cost a small fortune both for the product itself and the installation.

The Heavier The Shingle, The Longer It Will Last And Cost

With asphalt shingles, you can choose a simple, three-tab shingle or a laminate shingle for a multi-dimensional look. The asphalt shingle consists of a fiberglass layer that is saturated with hot asphalt and embedded with colored granules as it cools. The more asphalt that is used, the heavier the shingle and the longer it will last. That is why some shingles have a 20 year, 25-year or 30 year warranty. The heavier the shingle, the longer the warranty.

Choose Your Color Carefully

To Choose Your Shingle, first think about what color would look best. You will want to complement the color of your siding, brick or stone that is on your home. White homes look great with black, charcoal or gray tone shingles, while beige, brown and tan homes look great with a natural color like burnt sienna, autumn brown, weathered gray or driftwood shingles, to name a few.

It Doesn’t Always Make Sense To Go Upscale

If you stand back from your home and look at your roof and don’t see too much of it, then it may not make sense to spend a lot of money on an expensive shingle when you can’t even see it. If, on the other hand your roof is a very prominent part of your home, then it can be worthwhile to invest in a more decorative laminate shingle.

A good idea is to look at as many pictures as you can of different roofs and try to get the best sense of what would work well on your home.